Fiber optic communication systems are becoming prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities (e.g., data and voice) to customers. Fiber optic communication systems employ a network of fiber optic cables to transmit large volumes of data and voice signals over relatively long distances. Optical fiber connectors are an important part of most fiber optic communication systems. Fiber optic connectors allow two optical fibers to be quickly optically connected and disconnected.
With the fiber optic connectors connected, their respective optical fibers are coaxially aligned such that the end faces of the optical fibers directly oppose one another. In this way, an optical signal can be transmitted from optical fiber to optical fiber through the aligned end faces of the optical fibers. For many fiber optic connector styles, alignment between two fiber optic connectors is provided through the use of a fiber optic adapter that receives the connectors, aligns the ferrules and mechanically holds the connectors in a connected orientation relative to one another. Connectors are typically installed on fiber optic cables in the factory through a direct termination process.
The present invention provides an arrangement for transferring stress across a protective sleeve without applying stress to fibers or adapters of fiber optic cables themselves.